


On the Same Side

by kenhinacanon



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Competition, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:07:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22949818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenhinacanon/pseuds/kenhinacanon
Summary: In which Daichi and Kuroo spend a lot of their time competing with each other only to be paired together for a project. Oh, and they kind of have a crush on each other.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Sawamura Daichi
Comments: 3
Kudos: 62





	On the Same Side

Kuroo and Daichi were in the same theater class at the same university and they were in constant competition with each other. 

They had competed against each other in volleyball during high school, and that competitiveness had spilled over into academics. They compared grades for every assignment, seeing who could score higher, they competed to see who could finish an essay faster. Both of their grades were extremely high because they just had to beat each other, and they both figured the other couldn’t get higher than perfect marks. 

They were sitting next to each other in class on Monday morning when the professor announced, “We have a group project coming up.” 

Daichi’s heart sank to the bottom of his feet. He had a bad feeling about this. The class wasn’t that big. But since he sat next to Kuroo, it was unlikely that the professor would pair them up together. 

“It’ll be a partner project, I should say,” the professor corrected. “Whoever your deskmate is will be your partner.”

Most of the class was happy since everyone sat next to their friend, but Daichi was devastated. He and Kuroo couldn’t compete if they were working together!

He and Kuroo were friends outside of theater class. They played volleyball recreationally together, they went on morning runs together on the weekends. He considered Kuroo one of his closest friends besides Asahi and Suga, his roommates. 

But that flew out the window when it came to theater class. They were on opposite sides of the net in theater, but to suddenly be thrown on the same side was jarring. 

Kuroo turned to him with a smirk. “Guess we’re partners this time,” he said. “Let’s get the best grade in the class.”

Daichi mirrored his smirk. “Of course,” he said. 

It wouldn’t be terrible. They’d have to spend way more time together to make sure their project was the best, but Daichi didn’t mind. He liked spending time with Kuroo. 

Kuroo tried to steady his accelerated heartbeat. He and Daichi already spent a lot of time together, but working on a project together? It was what he’d been waiting for. 

He and Daichi were good friends, but he’d had a crush on Daichi since high school. He’d tried being obviously flirtatious, tried playing hard to get, but Daichi was pretty oblivious, so nothing worked. Daichi needed direct communication or he wasn’t going to get it. 

Kuroo was nervous though. They were really good friends. Imagine if he confessed, and Daichi didn’t feel the same way. Their friendship would be nearly irreparable. Kuroo didn’t know if he’d be able to get over his crush after letting it out into the open. 

The professor handed out the rubric for the project and explained some details before letting them go early. Daichi followed Kuroo through the door. 

“You want to start this weekend?” Daichi suggested. “It’s not due for two weeks, so we can probably get it done Saturday then clean it up next weekend.” 

“Sounds good,” Kuroo said. “Can’t wait to get the best grade with you.”

_Really?_ Kuroo cursed himself. _That was so cringe._

Daichi laughed and slapped his friend on the shoulder. “I’ll see you for dinner.” He waved before he walked away to his next class.

Kuroo decided then and there to tell Daichi how he felt on Saturday. 

***

Saturday rolled around, and Kuroo was panicking. 

He had called Kenma Friday night to ask for advice, but he hadn’t been very helpful.

“How did you and Shorty get together?” Kuroo asked.

He could practically hear Kenma shrug on the other end. “Shouyou confessed to me, so…” 

“Thanks,” Kuroo said sarcastically before hanging up.

Saturday morning, he spent the better part of it trying to get his hair to calm down even a little, but it was to no avail. After years of its current state, there was nothing he could do. 

He walked the short distance from his dorm to Daichi’s, his palms growing sweatier with every step. He was thinking about chickening out and not confessing, but it’d been a year since he felt this way. He had to tell him. 

Daichi found himself growing more nervous. Kuroo was going to be there any minute. He checked himself in the mirror, made sure there were plenty of snacks in the kitchen. The living room area was ready for working on the project. Asahi and Suga were home for the weekend, so he had the place to himself. 

Wait a minute. Why was he so worried about this stuff?

Kuroo was his friend. Why was he nervous about his friend coming over, a friend who came over all the time? And why was his heart beating faster?

A knock came on the door. Daichi rubbed his palms on his shorts while Kuroo did the same on the other side of the door. Daichi opened the door with a smile and let his friend in.

“Wow, you got a whole set up going!” Kuroo crowed. “How nice of you.”

“Ha ha,” Daichi deadpanned, but his throat felt tight with nerves. “Let’s get to work. If we finish early, we can go to the rec and play volleyball.”

“Let’s do this.” Kuroo sat down on the floor next to Daichi and they started planning and executing. 

After about an hour and a half, they took a break to eat some ramen. They watched some volleyball on Daichi’s laptop, and Kuroo was very aware of their proximity. Their knees were touching. 

They got back to work, and Kuroo’s desire to confess grew with each passing minute. If Daichi rejected him, he could be friends again. He could do it. He didn’t want to lose this. 

After another two minutes of working, Kuroo couldn’t take it anymore. 

“Daichi, I like you,” he blurted.

Daichi turned wide eyes on his friend. “I like you, too?” he said.

He knew what Kuroo meant. Hearing the confession jostled something in his head. He felt the same way. He hadn’t understood his jitters from earlier, or other times before, but now he did. 

He liked his best friend.

“No.” Kuroo ran a hand through his messy hair. “I like you, like, I want you to be my boyfriend.”

The words came out rushed, and he could feel himself sweating. This was the make or break moment. He had a feeling Daichi didn’t feel the same way, and his heart was already sinking, but he had come to terms with it. They could still be friends. Hopefully. 

“Okay,” Daichi said slowly. “Let’s do it.”

Kuroo was definitely not expecting that answer.

“You mean it?” he said. “You’ll hold my hand and take me out to dinner and give me kisses?” He felt his neck heat up at the last part. 

Daichi’s face flushed red at the thought of kissing Kuroo. “Yeah,” he said. “I’ll do all of that.” 

Kuroo gave him a genuine smile, the rare ones that always made Daichi’s heart swell, even though, at the time, he hadn’t realized what it meant. 

Before he could chicken out, Kuroo leaned forward and pecked Daichi on the cheek. He was too shy for a real kiss. 

Daichi’s chest felt like it was going to explode. The feeling was so new, but it felt so insanely wonderful. And he’d get to feel like that everyday from that moment on? He was the happiest man in the world. 

“I’ll order us dinner tonight,” Kuroo said with a wink, making Daichi’s head spin. 

They continued to work on their project, sitting closer than before to make sure that they were always touching each other.


End file.
